


Sherlock Doesn't Mind

by LadySolitaire83



Series: I Love You: Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2018 Fics [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Background Warstan, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Jealous Sherlock, Romance, Sherlolly - Freeform, Sherlolly Appreciation Week, Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2018, Slight Molly/Tom, Teen Sherlolly, Teenage Fluff, sorry tom, teen!lock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-27 01:06:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13869816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadySolitaire83/pseuds/LadySolitaire83
Summary: Sherlock goes home after working a case with John and finds Molly Hooper (and a boy he doesn't know) leaving his house.Sherlolly Appreciation Week 2018, Day 1:Teen!Lock/ Uni!Lock / Early Friendship





	Sherlock Doesn't Mind

**Author's Note:**

> **Theme: Teen!Lock ~~/ Uni!Lock / Early Friendship~~ (Non-Canon/Headcanon)**
> 
> **Rating: T, for some cursing.**
> 
> In which Sherlock and Molly are day pupils of a co-ed boarding and day school, John visits from uni, and Eurus is a more well-adjusted person.
> 
> Hope y'all enjoy this one!
> 
> I don't own these characters. They belong to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, BBC, Steven Moffat, and Mark Gatiss. If I owned Sherlock and Molly Hooper, then there would be a lot more Sherlolly in the show. All mistakes are mine. Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome; I only ask that you'd be mindful of your words.

“So, John, we agree we’re telling my parents that you invited me to watch… whatever the popular film is right now, yeah?” Sherlock asked as they walked along the Holmeses’ street.

John smirked. “I don’t think your parents, especially your mum, would believe that you agreed to watch _Aladdin_ or _Jurassic Park_ , mate.”

He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Well, then, we’ll just tell them you needed my help in asking a girl out from one of your classes,” he replied with a small shrug of his shoulders.

“Riiiiiight.” He laughed. “Because your mum wouldn’t see right through that blatant lie!”

He turned to John with a scowl. “What do you propose then? Tell my parents that I’ve been skipping classes to investigate Ms Shumway for embezzlement?”

“Well, why not? It’s not your fault that teachers and support staff are committing crimes in the school. In fact, you’re doing the school a huge favour by uncovering so much illegal-slash-unethical shit. I honestly don’t know if the hiring committee is just incompetent or if these arseholes are just ridiculously good in hiding their crimes from their everybody else. I mean, they work with _children_ , for fuck’s sake!”

“They’re clearly not _that_ good if I’ve caught them.” He exhaled. “Headmistress Hunter and Housemistress Hudson usually _are_ grateful. But the rest of them have that oh-God-it’s-you-again look every time DC Lestrade comes to the school and arrests whomever committed whatever crimes. They just _know_ that I gave Lestrade the evidence. And, whilst my parents also question how the hell these people are getting hired, they’re more worried that the teachers and other staff would give me hell for ‘stirring up trouble’ at school.”

“They’re more worried about the adults than the other kids bullying you?”

“Well, yeah. I’ve got you, Eurus, Victor, and Housemistress Hudson to defend me from the bullies when I can’t defend myself. Anyway, after I exposed Mr Patterson for sexual misconduct and he resigned, my mum threatened to pull me out of Queen Victoria if I got another one fired. She said they might be better off sending me to Harrow since they spend a small fortune in donations to the school foundation anyway. I can’t let that happen!”

“Why? I mean, for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve hated the school. It got even worse when I went to uni. So what’s changed?”

“Why would you think anything’s changed? _Nothing’s_ changed! I just don’t like drastic changes, is all.”

“Sherlock, why did your jaw twitch just now?” He cackled with glee before letting out a gasp. “Wait. Is it the new student from somewhere up north that Donovan, Hopkins, and Murray told me about?”

He turned to John and narrowed his eyes at him. “What the hell did those girls tell you now?” He softly groaned in annoyance. “I think you should stop hitting on underage girls now that you’re in uni. And I don’t think Mary Morstan would appreciate it if she found out you’re still flirting with other girls whilst you’re dating her. Unless, of course, she likes that sort of thing; it’s difficult to deduce that since I haven’t met her.”

“First of all, they just happened to bump into Mary and me at the movies last weekend. Second of all, I don’t hit on underage girls, not since I turned 18, you dickhead.”

“That’s not true,” he said with a shake of his head. “Janine was just 14 when you asked her out on a date during your 18th birthday party,” he pointed out as he pushed the gate open.

“That was one time!” he protested before heaving a sigh of irritation. “Anyway, this girl is apparently your new lab partner in your chemistry class. I don’t remember her name, but I think her first name starts with M?”

“Molly.” He stopped dead in his tracks and stared ahead.

“Sounds about right. They said—Whoa!” he exclaimed when he bumped into Sherlock’s back, nearly knocking him over.

With his cheeks flushing in embarrassment, Sherlock shot him an irritated glance as he righted himself and brushed down his black peacoat.

“Sherlock!” John hissed as he shoved past him to begin a rant, the heat of his glare barely registering in his mind. “What the actual f—”

“Are you all right, Sherlock? Have you solved the case?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Sherlock could see John doing a double take at the voice before following his gaze. Ignoring his friend’s raised eyebrow and confused look, he kept his own eyes on Molly as she stood on his house’s doorstep. _She’s still wearing her school uniform and carrying her small backpack, so she came here right after school. She doesn’t have Chess Club, Biology Club, and Debate Club today, but she skipped Chemistry Club._ He smirked. _Without both of us, this week’s meeting will be incredibly boring. Paper sticking out of the grey folder in her arm has smudge from the photocopier in the library. Copy of her chemistry lab notes? Possibly._

He narrowed his eyes at the boy, who was about his age and height, standing next to her. _Lives in Gloucester. Middling student in general, but gets above average marks in maths. Addicted to comic books and video games. Possibly as slow as John at times but a thousand times more dull._

“Molly Hooper,” he said before moving towards her. “How did you get my address?”

Blushing, she ducked her head and held the folder to her chest. “I, um, I saw it when I was helping out at the infirmary.” She gave a nervous laugh and glanced at the boy next to her. “I’m not being creepy, I swear! I just—”

He cocked an eyebrow as he stopped in front of her. “What did you tell Ms Simmons when she asked why I wasn’t in class?”

“Oh, I said you had a stomach bug. I’m not sure she bought it, but at least she didn’t press further.”

Sherlock nodded. “I see.” He gestured towards the folder. “You didn’t need to give me a copy of your notes for today, Molly.”

Her brows furrowed until her gaze landed on a piece of paper sticking out of the folder. “How on earth can you deduce that with the littlest bit of paper?”

Chuckling, he stuck his slightly trembling hands into his trouser pockets. “That’s easy. I based it on your past behaviour.” He grinned, but his proud smile dropped at her knitted eyebrows. “You did the same for Meena when she was ill with influenza and for Janine when she broke her dominant arm.”

Molly’s cheeks turned pink. “Oh, right,” she said, chuckling. “I’m surprised you remember that.”

He darted a glance at John, who crossed his arms and turned to Sherlock. “So am I!” he exclaimed with a smirk.

“Shut up, John,” he muttered. He smiled at Molly. “There’s also a smudge at the edge of the piece of paper that’s sticking out and, since your notes are always impeccable, the only way the smudge would get on there would be if you used the photocopier in the library.” His heart swelled at her sweet smile and the dilation of her pupils.

John turned to Molly and the silent boy, who seemed content to observe the three of them, and not-so-gently nudged Sherlock aside to talk to them. “Sorry. My friend here tends to forget his manners.” He extended his hand towards her. “Hi, I’m John. I guess I’m Sherlock’s best friend and crime-solving partner,” he said, glancing at him.

Deep furrows on Sherlock’s forehead formed as he revised his list of ways to kill his so-called best friend.

“Has he gotten better as a lab partner?” John asked as he shook her hand.

“Actually, yeah. He doesn’t insult me much any more, unless I’ve completely mucked it up.”

“Oh, I bet that doesn’t happen a lot.”

Molly only giggled and shrugged her shoulders.

“What would Mary say if she saw you flirting with other girls, John?”

Shaking his head and waving a dismissive hand at him, John turned to the silent boy. “And you are?” he prompted, extending his hand towards him as well.

“Tom,” he replied as he shook John’s hand. “Tom Burgess.” He glanced at Sherlock, who was now scowling at him. “I’m the nephew of his parents’ friend, uh––”

“Which friend? Dr Harrison?”

Tom looked absolutely gobsmacked. “Yeah, yeah. How did you know?”

Molly turned to him. “He’s a genius.” She glanced at Sherlock with a proud smile, causing his cheeks to grow warm. “He’s sort of a young detective.”

“He’s already better than many actual detectives in Scotland Yard.”

“Are you going to work for the Met then?” asked Tom.

Sherlock scoffed and shook his head. “God, no. I’ll be a private detective or, as I’d like to call myself, a _consulting_ detective. That way, I’ll be the only one in the world.” He turned to Molly. “To answer your question, no, I haven’t solved the case. But if a contact gets back to me by the end of the day or even tomorrow morning, I might be able to solve it this weekend.”

“That’s great. I hope you’ll solve it soon. Ms Simmons said something about a quiz next week, so…” She offered the folder to Sherlock. “Here you go.”

“Thanks,” he said as he took the folder. “You really don’t need to give me a copy of your notes. I’ll do fine if she does give us a quiz.”

“It was no problem,” she replied with a shrug. “It’s what lab partners and friends do.” Turning to Tom, she gave him a shy smile. “We should get going before the entire school descends on Daisy’s Café.”

“Oh, are you going on a date?” John asked, making Molly and Tom blush.

Sherlock clenched his fists and winced at the startling pain in his chest. He frowned at Molly, who was paying attention to Tom and not to him.

“Yeah, we kind of are,” Molly replied, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of crimson. “I really just came by to give Sherlock a copy of my notes. But he wasn’t home yet, and Mrs Holmes was lovely enough to invite me in for tea, where I met Mr Holmes and Tom and his uncle. Mrs Holmes noticed Tom and me getting along quite nicely, so she suggested we’d go for coffee or something.”

“But I don’t really drink much coffee,” said Tom as he darted a shy glance at her. “So I said, ‘How about some hot chocolate?’ Luckily enough, Molly said yes to that.” He grinned at them before turning to her and offering his arm. “So, Molly, shall we?”

Molly smiled back and shyly looped her arm round his. “Yes, we shall.” She turned to John. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise!” Smirking, John moved aside. He dropped his smirk and glared at Sherlock until he reluctantly allowed them to pass.

“Thanks for this again, Molly,” he called out after her once they had passed through, briefly waving the folder in his hand.

She halted, forcing Tom to stop as well. “You’re very welcome, Sherlock. Let me know if you need any help with the case.”

“Will do,” he replied with a nod and a happy smile.

“See you at school on Monday, Sherlock! Bye, John!”

Sherlock’s smile turned into a frown as he stared after them. With an annoyed huff, he strode towards the front door and forcefully pushed it open, nearly letting it hit John in the face. “Mum!” he called out on his way to the front room, which was empty. “Mother!” he shouted as he marched towards the parlour.

Minerva appeared in the doorway with a smile. “Oh, hello, dear.” She opened her arms to John. “I didn’t know you were in town, John. How’s uni?” she asked as he hugged her back and kissed her on the cheek.

“It-it’s been good, thanks. I’m enjoying it so much.”

“Lots of pretty girls then?” Minerva asked with a cheeky wink.

He laughed. “I’ve actually met someone. She’s beautiful and fantastic and––”

Sherlock gave a low growl and rolled his eyes. “John, why don’t you join my father and their friend for tea, while my mother and I speak in the kitchen?” he suggested through gritted teeth.

Minerva only sighed and gave John an apologetic look. “Go on now. We’ve got your favourite biscuits in there in case you’re hungry.” Gently pushing John farther into the parlour, she pursed her lips together and levelled a hard gaze on Sherlock.

He stomped his way through the corridors and snatched a warm ginger nut from the plate on the kitchen island. He leant back against the refrigerator and bit on the ginger nut as he glared at his mother. “Well _done_ , Mother. When did you realise that Molly would enjoy hot chocolate with that dull boy, eh? When he made a corny joke and made her smile? Is that when you—”

“Oh, hush, Sherlock!” Heaving an irritated sigh, Minerva pulled the oven door open and removed a tray of fresh ginger nuts. “For goodness’ sake, it’s just one date! It doesn’t mean they’re going to get married and have a few babies,” she said while adding ginger nuts to the plate. “I didn’t even know who Molly was when she knocked on our door.”

“I seem to remember telling you and Dad and Eurus about my new lab partner,” he pointed out with a pout.

“You mentioned her once. Once! And, even if it’s _exceedingly obvious_ that you have a crush on this girl, you’ve made it clear that you’re never going to act on your feelings. I didn’t think you’d mind her going out with another boy.”

“I don’t have a _crush_ on her or anybody else!” he protested, grimacing as if the word ‘crush’ would poison him. “And why would _I_ mind? I don’t _mind_! Why? Did they immediately hit it off?” He stole another ginger nut and angrily bit into it.

Minerva tilted her head and scrunched up her face in thought. “No, not really. Tom is a shy boy, and Molly is a shy girl. But I could tell that they sort of liked each other. So I told Tom about Daisy’s Café and asked both of them if they’d like to have coffee together.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Tom’s not much of a coffee drinker, so he suggested hot chocolate instead. I want to know _why_ you let this happen, Mum!”

Minerva shrugged. “Well, why _not_? Just because you don’t want to do something about your feelings for the poor girl doesn’t mean she can’t go out with anybody else.” She planted her fists on her hips and glared at him. “That’s selfish, and Molly does not deserve that. She’s a lovely girl and she deserves to be happy, whether it’s with you or with somebody else. And she’s smart enough to accept that you can only give her your friendship and that she is free to date people who can give her what she needs. So don’t you go and ruin her dates or relationships in the pretence that you’re just being kind and being her friend.”

Sniffling, Sherlock took a dejected bite of his ginger nut, his mother’s words deflating his anger. “You’re right, Mum,” he conceded with a heavy sigh. “But it’s _killing_ me to see her with the _dullest_ boy that ever lived. What do I do?”

“Tom’s not _that_ dull. You just don’t know him well enough.” Grabbing a couple of ginger nuts from the plate, Minerva approached him and handed them to him. “I think we both have an idea of what she wants from you. So you need to figure out what _you_ want. Do you only want Molly’s friendship, her brilliance in the lab, and her help in your cases? Or do you want to go on coffee dates or crime-solving dates with her too? Do you want to go to school dances with her and dance with her all night? Do you want to get fish and chips with her and perhaps with John and his girlfriend of the week? Do you want to hold her hand or snog her breathless?”

Sherlock went into buffering mode as he considered his mother’s questions. “Maybe?” he answered reluctantly.

Minerva shook her head. “That’s not good enough, Sherlock, and you know it. Molly is the first girl—the first _person_ —you’ve ever shown genuine romantic interest in. She doesn’t deserve a ‘maybe,’ even allowing for the fact that you’re both 15.”

He rolled his eyes. “Fine. Yes, you’ve got me! I want to do all that with Molly.” He sighed. “In fact, I started running scenarios like what you described in my head within a few weeks of meeting her.”

She nodded. “Do you think you’re _ready_ to be Molly’s boyfriend?” She chuckled at his grimace.

He went into his Mind Palace to run through his dating-Molly scenarios and quickly reanalysed his feelings in each scenario. And when he finally emerged, his eyes shone with determination. “Yeah, yeah, I think I am.”

Minerva smiled. “Good. You might want to enlist her help in solving your next case. Once you’ve solved it or when you’re done for the day, you can ask her out for some fish and chips. And make sure it’s clear that you want to eat them _with_ her and not that you want her to buy some _for_ you. Then perhaps tell her how you feel and that you’d love it if she went out with you.”

“That could work,” he agreed with a thoughtful nod.

“It might also help to _show_ her how you feel. Convince her using clear and concrete actions that your feelings are genuine, that you’re not trying to manipulate her in any way. Show her how much more exciting her life would be if she dated you.” She glanced in the direction of the parlour. “I’m sure John is an expert in asking out girls. Why don’t you ask him for advice?”

The door to the kitchen banged open and revealed a smirking Eurus. “Sherlock’s much better off snogging her in the middle of her date and blurting out his feelings for her. Much more likely to happen and much more realistic that way. Much more him, really.” She snatched a few ginger nuts. “John Watson might be popular with girls, but he won’t be of much help when it comes to Molly Hooper.”

“How did you know?” At Eurus’s raised eyebrow, Minerva only shook her head. “Never mind.”

Sherlock pushed himself off the refrigerator and grinned at Eurus. “Right. You’re going with John and me to the café. Hopefully, Molly’s realised how dull Tom is and she’d welcome my intrusion.”

“Why the hell do you need me?”

“You’d be a credible witness, in case our schoolmates ask about this. And everybody’s too scared to challenge you.” He slammed the folder onto the island. “Come along, Eurus,” he said as he exited the kitchen. “Thanks, Mum!”

* * *

He entered the café, where many of their schoolmates were spending a lazy Friday afternoon, with a smirking Eurus and a wonderstruck John at his heels. Seeing her standing at the shop counter with Tom with a frown and an impatient sigh–– _not even 15 minutes in, and she’s already bored out of her mind_ , he triumphantly thought––he swaggered towards her. “Molly Hooper!” he shouted.

Her eyes widened in bewilderment as she watched him approach. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

He only grabbed her face and kissed her in response, to their schoolmates’ astonishment. His heart filled with utter joy when she looped her arms round his neck and kissed him back. _We both may be inexperienced, but we’re also both quick studies_ , was his last thought before the feeling of her lips moving against his was all he could focus on.

When they regrettably came up for air, he gazed at the dazed grin on her face––which, he supposed, matched the one on _his_ face––and memorised it so he could save it in her room in his Mind Palace. “Molly Hooper, would you like to solve crimes with me and _only_ me?” he panted, ignoring Tom’s sputtering protests.

“Are you asking me out on a date, Sherlock?” she asked, her eyes hopeful but wary.

Overwhelmed with emotions to speak, he nodded and wrapped an arm round her waist. He gazed at her, hoping that she could see his feelings for her in his eyes, and gently caressed her cheek with his thumb.

She dropped her hands to his shoulders and stared at him, likely searching his face for any sign of deceit. “Are you sure?” 

He cradled her face in his hands and looked her in the eye. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”

She eventually grinned at him before turning to a shocked and indignant Tom. “I’m sorry. You’re really nice, but I’m afraid it’s not going to work out between us.” She then wrapped her arms round Sherlock’s neck and snogged him breathless, amidst their schoolmates’ cheers (including Eurus’s ‘Fuck yeah!’), Tom’s disappointed moans, and John’s awestruck ‘I’ve got to tell Mary about this’.

“So what do you say, Molly, to solving crimes tonight?” he asked in a hoarse voice when they pulled apart. “And, perhaps, fish and chips later? I-I mean, for both of us and not––”

“I’d love to, Sherlock,” she replied with an excited nod, her grin growing in wattage and making his pulse quicken.

**Author's Note:**

> Queen Victoria School is modelled after [Mill Hill School](https://www.millhill.org.uk). Funny thing is, according to Google Maps, Mill Hill School is only ~25 minutes away from Harrow.
> 
> I adjusted their ages so they're mostly the same age (15), except John (who's 19) and Eurus (14).
> 
> I can't find anything on the internet about employment background checks in the UK in the '90s, so I just assumed schools just verified applicants' references by phoning them and nothing else. If I'm wrong, we'll just chalk it up to creative licence, yeah?
> 
> * * *
> 
> So what do y'all think? Hate it? Like it? Love it?


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